The Smallest Valkyrie
by RomanCandle6
Summary: When Eirkara saved a small Jötun baby from suffering and death by placing him in Odin's path, she had no idea that she was saving the future god of mischief. And she would never have guessed that their lives would become inextricably entwined. A story of love, lies, betrayal, redemption, and how the fate of the universe was changed forever by a Valkyrie's Kiss.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

"The king may sing in his bitter flight,

The pine may croon to the vine tonight,

But the little snowflake at my breast

Liketh the song _I_ sing the best —

'Sleep, little one, sleep;

Weary thou art, anext my heart;

Sleep, little one, sleep."

An excerpt from "Norse Lullaby" by Eugene Field

* * *

><p>It was time for the Valkyries to fly.<p>

The mighty goddess Freya tore through the forests of Valhalla on the back of her golden steed. Her red mane of curls streamed behind her in the wind, the moonlight mixing silver with scarlet.

"Valkyries!" she called as she rode. "My daughters, arise!"

As a ship stirs the water in its wake, Freya's cries awakened waves of activity.

"The Allfather calls you into battle! Save our Asgardian warriors from the evil of Jötunnheim!"

Jötunheim. The word spread through Valhalla almost as quickly as the goddess rode. Odin had been fighting valiantly in that barren land of ice and snow for many weeks to drive the Frost Giants of Jötunheim back from Midgard. If the Casket of Ancient Winters, the source of all Jötun power, could be obtained, the battle would be over at last.

The fighting had been bloody and brutal. Though the Jötuns had been dealt heavy losses, Asgard, too, was suffering. For days, the Valkyries had expected to be called into the fight, but Odin had wanted to wait for a decisive moment to tip the battle into Asgardian favor, a moment at which Odin's chosen maiden warriors might enter the fray and secure the victory.

Tonight, the fate of three great realms of the universe rested on golden wings.

Tonight, even the smallest Valkyrie would be needed to tame the kings of the ice and snow.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Eirkara stretched her wings, feeling the power that surged through them all the way to their golden tips. Standing at the edge of the Cloudgate, waiting for Heimdall to transport herself and her sisters from Valhalla to the battle that raged in Jötunheim, she tried not to allow the anticipation of her very first battle to overwhelm her.

At the age of one hundred years, Eirkara was the youngest of Freya's Valkyries. And she was little more than a child. Still fifty years from completing her training, Odin would not ordinarily call such inexperienced fighters as herself into a battle of this scale. But tonight, the Allfather needed every last warrior he could find.

Though Eirkara's wings were small compared to those of her sisters, they were mighty. They would keep her safe. as they always had.

"Ready, Kara?"

A familiar voice cut her thoughts short. Eirkara smiled. Though all the Valkyries were her sisters through the vows they had taken, only one was her sister by blood.

She turned her head to look up at her dearest friend.

"Ready, Munna."

Munna's large brown eyes sparkled as she looked Kara over. A small smile lifted the corners of her lips as she reached up to tuck a loose strand of silvery-white hair under Kara's helmet.

"I cannot believe my baby sister is going to fight her first battle," she said. "Are you nervous?"

Kara shrugged, sincerely hoping that it did not show.

"I am a Valkyrie," she responded, trying to sound firm. "I have faith in my wings and my sisters."

Munna raised her eyebrows dramatically.

"A truly fine and noble sentiment, sister. In fact, I am certain it would fool anyone but me."

Kara blushed.

"What gave me away?"

"Oh, only the little gold and green sparks crackling about your fingertips."

Looking down, Kara swiftly fisted her hands, biting her lip as she tried to reign in the nature magic with which she had been born.

Munna's gaze softened, and her tone turned serious.

"You must try to control it tonight, Kara. Your gift of magic will serve you well in battle, but only if you prevent your emotions from governing it. It could easily fly out of your control, and harm the ones you love rather than help them."

She chuckled.

"You don't want a tree to suddenly burst from the ground and injure one of your Sisters again."

Kara nodded, smiling a little at the memory. Her combat partner that day had it coming.

Munna squeezed her shoulder.

"No matter what, I will love you always, my little sun."

Kara gazed up at her sister, her eyes sparkling with adoration.

They fell into companionable silence. Munna surveyed the ranks of Valkyries around them with an air of assured authority, but Kara continued to stare at her fondly.

It was at times like this, when Kara saw her elder sister in full battle armor and entirely within her element, that she felt the stark differences between them. Munna was tall and well-muscled, her bicep standing out with a graceful, understated power when she gripped her spear. Her chestnut hair hung in a single straight plait down her back, accentuating her wide cheekbones and tender brown eyes. She was a truly beautiful maiden warrior. However, though her spirit was warm and motherly to all good creatures, she was a fierce bird of prey on the battlefield. Freya, the goddess of love and destiny who oversaw the Valkyr Order, had handpicked her to be her second-in-command.

Kara, on the other hand, was tiny. Her muscles were lithe and lean, her little feet swift as a fawn's. However, no one looked down on her for her size —- her enemies might be larger and stronger, but she was quick. And when she had grown into it and learned to control it, her magic would be a tremendous advantage.

Very few warriors had been born with magic; it was usually an acquired skill. Only a handful of other Valkyries had ever come by it naturally. This number included the legendary Brynhildr, one of the founders of their Order. However, she had been banished to Midgard long ago for disobeying Odin's commands and breaking one of her cardinal vows. Kara hoped that, as she grew, she could mirror Brynhildr's skill in magic without following in her more dishonorable footsteps.

Kara nervously ran her fingers over the engraving of the Sun on her breastplate, reassuring herself with its familiar feel. Each piece of her armor was a reflection of the Valkyr Sisterhood. Like her Sisters, the armor protected her, but it also served as a constant reminder of the vows by which the Valkyries lived.

Her helm protected her mind, which she, in turn, was to keep pure and unsullied. She was required to obey the orders of Freya and the Allfather without question.

Her shield protected her body, which she was to use to protect her sisters and all the Nine Realms. The Valkyr Order was a close-knit Sisterhood composed of Asgardian girls who, from a young age, showed signs of exceptional intelligence and athleticism. They were bound to each other by an intense loyalty to their purpose. In all areas of life, they were to remain pure of heart, to serve the Allfather faithfully, and to bring home the victory. Indeed, the Valkyries were bound to each other by their wings themselves. When Odin selected them for the Sisterhood, the goddess Freya bound their wings not only to the skin and muscle of their bodies, but also to their very souls. They could hide them and appear as a normal Asgardian if they so chose, but their wings became an integral part of their being. If a Valkyrie's wings were cut off, then a piece of her soul would go with them, and she could not be whole again.

Finally, Eirkara's breastplate protected her heart, which was always to be jealously guarded. For should she lose her heart to a man, and give away her Valkyrie's Kiss, the consequences would be universe-altering. Ever since she had received her wings, she had been told that above all else, this act must never be done. The Valkyrie's Kiss had the power to change men and worlds through the most unadulterated love that could exist. If a Valkyrie willingly allowed her heart to stray so far from her singleminded devotion to her Sisterhood, she would lose her wings and her immortality forever, banished to a distant realm. Brynhildr was frequently held up as an example of what could happen if a Valkyrie broke this particular vow. No matter what, loyalty to one's sisters always came first.

A horn sounded. In a swirl of color and blinding light, the Bifrost opened, and the Valkyries began to take flight.

Kara grasped her spear tightly, a rush of adrenaline coursing through her tiny frame. This was why she was alive.

* * *

><p>Darting between two mammoth blue legs, Kara drove her spear deep into the back of a Jötun warrior. She removed it as she flew into the air, flashing like lightning from one opponent to the next.<p>

Whatever nerves Kara had possessed an hour ago were long gone by now. She was beginning to get the hang of how to use her wings and her spear in the midst of combat, memories of her training with Freya passing through her head with every stroke of her weapon. And her uncontrolled magic had only made one appearance, shooting vines through a Frost Giant and thankfully not an Asgardian.

"Well done, Kara!" cried Munna, before she head-butted her adversary. "See if you can give Sigrún some help over on the right flank!"

With dizzying speed, Kara rocketed toward the opposite end of the battlefield. Sigrún, one of the older Valkyries, was backed up against what appeared to be some sort of temple with some of her forces.

As a Jötun warrior prepared to attack Sigrún from behind, Kara shouted a warning. But Sigrún could not hear her, occupied as she was with the three Frost Giants that brandished their weapons before her. She knew she could not reach her in time to fight off the creature through hand-to-hand combat. She had to think quickly.

Summoning all of the strength she possessed in her tiny body, Kara flew forward with a mighty burst of power from her wings. She threw her spear as hard as she could. While the spear did not pierce the Frost Giant's skull, as she had intended, her aim was true enough to throw the creature off its course. It struck the Jötun squarely in the abdomen, sending him stumbling backwards. He was not dead, but it bought both Kara and Sigrún some time.

The sound of the spear soaring past Sigrún's ear and making impact alerted her to the presence of her enemy. With a quick turn, she drove her spear into the beast's heart. He fell dead upon the temple steps.

Sigrún searched the skies for her rescuer. When her eyes fell on Kara flying past, she smiled and briefly lifted her spear toward her in thanks. Kara nodded, beaming.

With footsteps as soft as the freshly fallen snow, Kara alighted on the steps to the temple. She bent down to retrieve her spear, grunting in frustration when it refused to budge from the Frost Giant's body. Trying again to wrest it from the corpse before her, she muttered angrily to herself. Irritated, she muttered something only half-coherent about the battle she was fighting with her spear being more difficult than the one she was fighting with the Frost Giants. But her thoughts were cut short by a heartbreaking sound that came to her on the air.

It was the plaintive wail of a baby crying.

Kara's eyebrows furrowed. She had been told that the Jötuns had moved all of their women and children to a safer location as the battle had grown worse. There should not be a baby here.

Looking at the battlefield behind her, she analyzed the scene to see if her Sisters could spare her for a moment while she investigated. Sigrún appeared to have the situation under better control; she was back on track, slowly pushing the Jötuns into Munna's forces. It would not be long now before the victory was won.

The baby's cries became more pronounced in the cold, still air that hovered over the temple — or, at least, what was left of it.

Gripping her spear firmly, she gave it one last tug, and at last it came free of the Jötun body. She turned it in her hand so that it was in a combat-ready position; she did not know what she would find in the massive temple of ice that stood before her. Cautiously, she ventured inside its walls.

At first, it appeared deserted. It seemed that all valuable items within had been removed by the Jötun or destroyed in the battle. As she crept along its central aisle, she could detect no sign of fully-grown Jötun life. But the baby continued to cry. And its cries were becoming weaker by the minute — the child was dying. Newborn Frost Giants were almost every bit as sensitive to the cold on Jötunheim as Asgardians, and Kara could not allow a baby to die, regardless of whether or not it was a Frost Giant. She picked up her pace.

Kara reached the back of the temple, where the cries seemed to be coming from. And with one look to her right, her eyes fell upon a small blue baby that lay beneath a toppled bench upon the icy ground. It shook with its sobs and with the cold, its tiny eyes scrunched up in pain.

In an instant, Kara was no longer a fierce maiden warrior. She was a young girl with an enormous heart, who could not bear to see a child left out in the fierce cold to die.

In an instant, she dropped her spear and ran to the child. She knelt down beside it. Then, as carefully as she would handle a delicate flower, she lifted the baby into her warm arms. She cradled it against her chest, rubbing its back, its arms, its legs — anything to get its blood moving again. Gradually, its cries faded into little more than hiccups, and then just calm breathing.

Kara drew the child back for a moment, studying it carefully. It was a boy, she could tell that much. But he was small, very small for a Jötun baby — especially a Jötun male. He could easily have been an Asgardian baby, with the obvious exception of his skin pigmentation and the strange markings on his forehead. Perhaps his family had abandoned him for his size. The Frost Giants, after all, were a warrior people that depended greatly on their stature and strength, and they were not known for their mercy or acceptance. Her heart went out to him.

Kara gazed tenderly into his red eyes, which looked inquisitively back into hers. She smiled at him.

"Hello, little snowflake," she said.

The corners of his tiny mouth seemed to turn up slightly at the corners. His striking eyes never strayed from her stormy grey ones for an instant; the little baby was as interested in the little Valkyrie as she was in him.

Gently, Kara used her thumb to wipe away the tears that lingered on his cheeks. She adjusted her legs so that they were folded beneath her body in a sitting position, and held him upright on her lap, wrapping her cape about both of them.

She held her hands in front of him, and slowly, she allowed the warmth of her nature magic to surge through her body and into her fingertips. In moments, her hands came alive in warm waves of green and gold light. Tiny flowers blossomed in her palms, with little vines weaving themselves about her fingers. The air about them shimmered.

The baby's face burst into a grin filled with utter joy and astonishment. He giggled merrily, reaching forward to try and grab the waves of light. Kara laughed with him, pulling him back when he nearly toppled out of her lap. She held him close, humming a lullaby to him as he fell contentedly asleep against her chest.

She would need to find someone who would take him in. Jötun or not, he was still a child, and he had done nothing to deserve this icy grave. She sighed. If only she was older, if only the rules of her Order allowed her to claim guardianship over a child…but she could have ties to no one but her Sisters. Perhaps Munna could persuade Freya to allow the Sisterhood to raise the boy together? That way, everyone would have time for their training, taking care of the fallen warriors, and their other duties? Kara shook herself. No, that could never come to pass. Freya would never allow it, let alone the Allfather. She would be in a great deal of trouble as it was for leaving her sisters to save a child of the enemy…but she just could not help feeling attached to this little baby whom she had saved. It was her job to make sure that he found a home.

The sound of distant, heavy hoofbeats met her ears. Several people were approaching. She stood quickly, the boy cradled in one arm, while she bent down and picked up her spear with the other. She would need to be ready for a fight, whether it was the verbal one she would have with one of her people over keeping the child, or the physical one she would have with a Jötun warrior to protect herself and and the baby she carried.

She heard feet hit the hard-packed snow outside the temple. The impact was too small for a Jötun, so she relaxed slightly, now that she knew it was a man (or woman) of Asgard.

"Fan out," she heard a familiar man's voice command his troops. "See if you can find any wounded men who were left behind. You two, come with me into the temple."

"Yes, Allfather," came the immediate response.

Allfather! Kara panicked. What would the King do, what would he say, when he saw one of his chosen Valkyries sheltering a Frost Giant child?

Suddenly, in the midst of her panic, she had an idea. An idea that was potentially insane, but one that might just get this baby the care that he needed.

She would place the baby in plain view so that Odin could find him. He and his wife, Queen Frigga, had recently been blessed with the birth of a baby boy, so perhaps he would be moved to mercy with this one. From what she knew of Odin, he seemed to be of a gracious and generous spirit…perhaps he would be as taken with the child as she was. He could find the boy a family in Asgard, a family to love him — he was, after all, extremely small for a Frost Giant, about the size of a normal Asgardian baby. Maybe, after the King took the baby home, his wife would be moved to compassion, and want to take him in permanently to live with her son by birth….he would live in a palace, with an older brother to look after him…

Kara rushed forward into the center of the temple. Removing her cape, she folded it on the ground. The moment she separated the boy from the warmth of her body, he began to shiver.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered as he started whimpering feebly. She placed him gently on the cape, tears starting to smart behind her eyes. His little eyes, round, confused, and almost hurt, opened to stare back at her, as if to ask, _Why are you leaving me?_

"Do not worry, little snowflake," she told him. "We may yet meet again."

She stroked his cheek, allowing some of the warmth from her green and gold nature magic to flow through her fingers onto his cold cheek. His eyes were drawn to it as quickly as before.

"I must leave you now, but there is a mighty King coming who can help you in ways that I cannot. He will keep you safe."

Kara's voice quavered as she whispered,

"Farewell, little snowflake. Be strong."

She smiled at him.

"Perhaps we may fight alongside one another someday."

She ran her hand tenderly over his little forehead once more, before she darted from the temple.


End file.
